Camera Settings for Insect and Bird Photography

Getting a Sony HV400V camera has been quite a learning experience. Previously I had only used a cell phone and a basic point and shoot camera. The number of settings has taken some time to learn. Since I had difficulty finding the best way to go online, I decided to post here what I have found as the best settings for birds and insects.

Birds:

• Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
• Aperature: Lowest Number Available, 6.3 at 50x  zoom
• Focus: MF
• MF Assist: Off
• High ISO NR: Normal
• White Balance: Auto
• DRO/Auto HDR: D-Range Optimizer Auto
• Creative Style: Vivid
• Focus Area: Center
• ISO: ISO Auto
• Exposure Comp: Set to CUSTOM button change as needed.
• Metering Mode: Spot
• Drive Mode: Cont. Bracket, or Continuous Shooting
• Image Size: 20M
• Aspect Ratio 4:3
• Quality: Fine
• GPS: On
• Flash: Off

The idea with bird photography is to get the shutter speed as fast as possible while still getting enough light to get the image. This is because you need a fast shutter speed to take a clear picture through all the wobble in the camera while zoomed in so far. To do this, the Aperture needs set to the lowest number possible and the EV is adjusted until the bird is at the edge of being too dark.

The only deviation from the above I found helpful was to turn on the MF Assist if taking a picture of a really stationary bird. It lets you get a perfect focus, but in most cases it is just too slow, resulting in a missed photo.

Insects:

• Camera Mode: Manual Exposure or Memory Recall
• Aperature: Highest Number Available, 8.0
• Focus: MF
• MF Assist: On
• High ISO NR: Normal
• White Balance: Auto
• DRO/Auto HDR: Off
• Creative Style: Standard
• Focus Area: Center
• ISO: 80
• Exposure Comp: NA
• Metering Mode: Multi
• Drive Mode: Single
• Image Size: 20M
• Aspect Ratio 4:3
• Quality: Fine
• GPS: On
• Flash: On

The idea here is to maximize depth of field so you can see a large percentage of the insect at the same time. Also, using the flash makes the background disappear. I set memory recall 1 to these settings so I can quickly call them up whenever I need them. 

I almost always use a +2 or +4 macro filter for insects.The only exceptions are fast moving insects like butterflies or dragonflies which are easier to photograph following the settings for birds. This makes it possible to zoom in impossibly close and catch details which otherwise cannot be seen.

 

1077 Observations

In December, I tried to get more identifications in iNaturalist than anyone else in the history of the site. I succeeded, but only managed to have the second highest number for that month since someone else broke the record by more than I did.

In April I made an attempt to make the most iNaturalist observations during the month. I appear to have succeeded.  During April I submitted pictures/location data for a total of 1,077 creatures. There is still a chance someone will unseat me by turning in more observations they made during April but I am in a healthy lead over second place so this seems unlikely. As for the all time record, I am well behind that. Last August someone made 1,754 identification. Doubt I will make a try at that record, it seems challenging to do while having a job.

Sometime I will make an attempt at most species in a month though. That is harder than most observations since technically I can separately submit a whole bunch of blades of grass in a park and hit most observations. Most species requires spending a lot of time in as many different ecosystems as possible which might be an interesting challenge.

Harbor Seals

Jerusalem Cricket

American Kestral 

Western Pygmy Blue

 Anna's Hummingbird

Cabbage White Butterfly

Flatbud Prickly Poppy

Chaparral Yucca

Gray Hairstreak

 Mojave Suncup